We Get Knocked Down
by stopitsarah
Summary: Before everything, there were the Marauders. Teens who got in too much trouble for their own good and loved each other more than family and were in the middle of the First Wizarding War. Not knowing if you're going to live to see the next day or be just another dead body reported in the Profits can place a heavy burden on a seventeen year old's shoulders. T for words and actions
1. Chapter 1

September 1st, 1977

Katherine Reynolds was not a dog person, not in the slightest. She had cats growing up and never cooed when she saw puppies running down the street with their owners in tow. Despite this, she could never resist Sirius Black's puppy dog eyes. His steely orbs met her deep brown ones, deep with longing. She swore she could see a hint of moisture gathering at his bottom lash line and threatening to spill over.

"Sirius Orion, are you really going to cry over a pumpkin pasty?" Kat shoved the boy's head off her lap and he rolled dramatically off the bench..

"Yes!" He cried, laying spread eagle on the floor of the train car. "Katherine Marie I am going to starve if you don't feed me right this minute." Kat giggled and slid off her green leather seat to kneel at the floor by his head. Her dark, curly hair fell into her eyes and she blew it away with a puff of breath. While she looked down at her boyfriend, she had a moment to appreciate the stark contrasts between their appearances. Sirius had been cursed with the porcelain skin of the Black family, while her skin was the color of milk chocolate and deepened even more by the hot Arizona sun. His hair was long and naturally straight while hers hung in tight ringlets, bouncing with any movement she made. Even their figures were different. Next to Sirius's tall and muscular figure, Kat looked like a faerie. She was barely 5'2'', and although her Quidditch had slimmed her plump eleven-year-old figure into a chaser's build, she still was proud of her remaining curves.

"Love, the train hasn't even started moving yet," She leaned forward and pressed her plump lips to his forehead. "Plus, it's not my fault _someone_ left their money sitting on James' dresser."

"Oh don't start that with me," Sirius replied, more real anger in his voice than Kat expected. She ignored this and began teasing him, playing with his dark hair and poking him in the ribs in an effort to annoy him into giving her more attention. He scowled, pulled away and sat back on the bench, looking pensively at the ground.

"Is something wrong?" Kat asked. "You've really been cranky these past few weeks. Do you want to talk about it?

"Nah it's nothing," He looked away from her.

"Pads you can tell me," Kat furrowed her brow in concern. "I always tell you everything."

"I said it's nothing okay?" Sirius snapped. "Just drop it. Why don't you go dote over James instead, you two seemed awfully chummy this summer before I showed up."

"And what the Hell is that supposed to mean?" Kat stood up, balling her fists in anger. "What has gotten into you lately? Do you really think I would cheat on you?"

"Just drop it, okay," Sirius turned his head, but refused to meet his girlfriend's eyes which only frustrated her more.

"I'm going to see where James is," And with that, Kat swiftly turned and left.

'Maybe by the time I get back he will stop being so bipolar,' she thought. Home trouble or not, nothing gave him the right to treat her the way he had these past few weeks. One moment he was the fun-loving prankster she had started dating back in March of sixth year, the next he sulked around like a wounded Hippogriff, snapping at anyone who he came in contact with. With a shake of her head, Kat dismissed her thoughts. Starting the year off on a bad note was not what she wanted.

-

Marlene Monroe was running late, but who expected anything else. The tall blonde teenager blew a wisp of hair out of her face as she pushed past the mass of people crowded around the front of the train. Her luggage and bag containing her cat, Snowball, had been taken by her older brother Andrew to the back of the train. Just as she made it to the front of the crowd and got ready to step off the platform she felt a tug on the back of her shirt. Marlene turned around to find her little brother Evan standing behind her, looking as if he was ready to cry.

"Evan what's wrong bud?" She asked, kneeling down to grasp his hands. "I said goodbye, right?"

"Y-yeah but I-I'm gonna miss you-u so much Mars," Evan choked out, tears beginning to stream down his face. Marlene bit back tears herself as she held her brother tightly. Things had been hard since their Dad started living away from home to work full time as an Auror. Marlene and her younger brother had grown extremely close and she was afraid something like this would happen when it was time to separate for the year.

"I'll see you soon Ev, I promise. And I'll write every day," Marlene pulled back and placed her hands on Evan's cheeks, pressing a kiss to his nose. "I love you."

"Love you too Mars," Evan sighed as his breaths slowed to a normal pace. "See you at Christmas." She kissed his cheek a final time and motioned for him to run back to their mother and other two brothers who she waved to before boarding the train.

Marlene found James waiting in the first carriage and he waved her in with a big grin. The two grasped each other tightly.

"I've missed you so much! How has your summer been? You really did grow a lot! How is Snowball? Is your Dad still away for work? Has he killed any Death Eaters lately? Stupid question, of course he has. Your Dad is Frederick Monroe for Merlin's sake. Anyway, can you tell I had three mugs of coffee this morning? My mom wasn't home so I could have as much as I want-" Marlene silenced James' incessant questions by pressing a hand over his mouth.

"Jem. I love you. Shut up," she giggled. The raven-haired teen nodded and pulled her hand from his mouth.

"Love you too," he smirked. "Kat and Sirius are in carriage 132, but I'm staying up here to let everyone else know where we are meeting. Meet you down there in a few?" Marlene nodded and hugged James one last quick time before rushing out of the carriage and down the hall to see her best friend.

Marlene didn't have to wait long, because Kat was already on her way. The two spotted each other from opposite ends of the train car and sprinted towards one another, meeting in the middle in a giant hug. They buried their faces in each other's hair, blocking out the rest of the world. Marlene and Kat had been friends since first year when they were seated next to each other in the Great Hall after being sorted.

' _Katherine Reynolds,' read the witch from her place at the podium. A meek 11 year old Kat, or Katie as she was known back then, emerged from the crowd of anxious first years and took her place on the stool. The sorting hat was lowered onto her head. It took mere seconds for the hat to shout out a mighty "GRYFFINDOR" and the far left table clad in red and gold erupted into cheers, welcoming the new girl with zeal._

 _Kat looked around and finally spotted an empty bench next to a friendly looking blonde girl that had been on her boat during the ride over. They hadn't talked because everyone was so nervous, but it was better than taking a seat surrounded by rowdy seventh year boys._

" _Hi, I'm Katie," she said, holding out her hand to the blonde as she took a seat._

" _Hi Kat, I'm Marlene," she grinned, opting to grasp her new friend in a hug rather than a formal handshake. "We're going to be best friends. I just know it." The two giggled together._

" _Good," Kat chirped. "I've always wanted a best friend."_

"How was your summer babe?" Marlene asked, still holding tightly onto Kat's shoulders. Kat's grin faltered for only a second, but long enough for the other to notice and begin to worry.

"I'll catch you up. I need to bring James his snitch back. I'll see in a mo'?" Kat motioned to the carriage somewhere behind her and Marlene nodded.

"Catch you later," she sang, swiftly kissing her friend's cheek before racing to meet Sirius in 132.

-

James Potter was nervous and let me tell you, James Potter was _never_ nervous. The arrogant teenager was known for his confidence, bordering on arrogance if you asked the right person. He paced around the small train compartment, stopping occasionally to look out the window for a glint of red hair in the ever crowding train platform. Everytime he was met with no such luck, and returned to muddling over his predicament.

James had been in love with Lily. Keyword, _had been._ The infatuation ended somewhere around fourth year when Sirius admitted his (eventually short-lived) crush on Marlene and she was welcomed into their crew, bringing Lily and Kat, her two best friends, in tow. Sure, the crush remained, and Lily had never become a best friend, but being in the same friend group forced her to be civil and him to be, well, less him. However, once a Marauder, always a Marauder, and James couldn't have strayed from his rebellious ways forever.

" _Ah, who do we have here," James sang, striding toward a group of Slytherins crowded near the Black Lake. He dug for his wand in his back pocket and Sirius followed suit. Remus stopped, looking back at Kat and Marlene for help restraining his friends. Peter panicked, looking from Remus to James repeatedly, eventually settling on running towards the castle, perhaps to fetch Lily._

" _James, Sirius, leave it," Marlene shouted. The two girls began to jog toward the brewing fight._

" _He's not worth it boys," Kat added. "The year's almost over, can't you just let it go?"_

" _Katie, you don't understand," Sirius turned around and smirked at the two girls. "You really think we can let Snivellus go the whole summer without one last memory from us?"_

" _Why don't we show him a bit of fun?" James twirled his wand between his fingers. "I'm thinking he needs a good wash. Just take a look at that hair!" Suddenly, with a flick of James' wrist, Snape was flung into the hair and hung upside down by his ankle. There was a collective gasp and snorts of laughter intermingling among the students._

" _Potter, put me down now," Severus tried to appear menacing, but his eyes grew wide and his voice shook as he hovered four feet above the Black Lake. The blood was rushing to his head, causing his cheeks to flush a violent pink, a stark contrast to his normal sallow complexion._

" _James please," pleaded Remus. Kat and Marlene murmured agreements, but at this point knew that the two were too far gone. Once James and Sirius got started, Lily was the only one who could knock some sense into them. Their attitudes were only made worse by the fact that Severus had managed to provoke them, yet again, by throwing a potent ingredient into their cauldron during Potions a few days ago, which caused it to erupt and coat Marlene and Sirius in a thick, red substance that left burns on any exposed skin. Needless to say, this served to enrage Sirius and James, and the minute they spotted Snape across campus there was no stopping them. Except, of course, the shout of an angry redhead from across the grounds._

" _JAMES POTTER_ _,_ _PUT HIM DOWN NOW," Lily Evans shouted, running impossibly fast towards the boy. He jumped at the noise, causing him to lose focus and Snape fell headfirst into the dark waters. Lily froze for a moment, before changing direction and running to the dock a few meters away, where she dove into the lake without even taking off her robe. The crowd of students fell impossibly silent and still, the only sound was the lapping of waves on the bank of the Black Lake. James began to strip out of his clothes, intending to go and retrieve the pair, but Lily emerged from the water dragging a sputtering Slytherin behind her just as James had undone the buttons of his stark white shirt. When Snape was safely on his feet (or rather, coughing up water on his hands and knees), Lily stormed over to James and grabbed his tie, pulling him down to her eye level._

" _James Potter_ _,_ _what the fuck do you think you were doing?" she hissed. "Sev can't swim, if I hadn't been here, he would've drowned. What would happen then? Do you have any regard for your future? For your friend's? What if you and Black got thrown in Azkaban for murder? Potter you're such an idiot sometimes i could just-" Her voice cracked and tears filled her emerald eyes. She pushed the boy away from her and spun around, refusing to let him see her cry. She walked towards Severus, who was just standing up again. She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, trying to provide any warmth, or at least some measure of comfort. She didn't get a chance to hold her childhood friend for long._

" _Get off of me, you filthy mudblood," Snape choked out, pushing Lily off of him. In her delicate state, she fell at the sudden movement and landed in the mud. "I don't need help from a dirty muggle born like you." His surrounding friends chuckled, and one flicked his cigarette butt in the dirt next to her._

 _Kat and Marlene were by Lily's side in an instant, helping her from the ground and wrapping their dry cloaks around her sopping shoulders. They tried to murmur words of sympathy to the sobbing teenager, but she wasn't able to listen over the slur that was blaringly loud in her head._

' _Mudblood'_

Reliving this memory made James' heart sink to his toes. He ran his fingers through his thick hair, undoing all the work his mom had put into making sure his unruly curls were kept under control. There was a knock on the compartment door and James slid it open to find Remus and Alice standing in the hall, beaming brightly. He shook the memory from his head and smiled back at his two close friends. This was going to be a new year, and one mistake wasn't going to end his life.

-

AN: Hi! So this is the rewritten version of my original chapter 1! For anyone new to the story, welcome I hope you enjoy! For anyone checking back in after already having read chapters 1 and 2, welcome back and please reread them! Thanks to my wonderful beta reader, I have made massive improvements to both chapters. Don't worry, chapter 3 is on it's way! It's actually finished and just needs some refining before publishing. As always reviews are appreciated and keep an eye out for chapter 3 in a few days! Ciao! ~Sarahϟ


	2. Chapter 2

September 1st, 1977

Lily Evans was a strong believer in new beginnings. This was what she kept repeating in her head as she approached King's Cross Station with her family. New beginnings were important, necessary, and the first step to a new you. At least, that's what the advice column in Witch Weekly told her. Witch Weekly also told her to keep a level head in possibly hostile situations, and be open to conversation instead of shouting matches. This was exactly why she drank four mugs of hot green tea that morning.

"Lily?" Her mom's voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Yes Mum?" Lily turned around where her parents and sister stood patiently waiting to hear her goodbye.

"Your father and I were asking if you planned on coming home for your last Christmas at Hogwarts. We wouldn't blame you for wanting to stay," Mrs. Evans looked to Lily expectantly and Lily could tell that her parents wouldn't blame her for wanting to stay, but that doesn't mean they would be pleased with missing their daughter on her favorite holiday.

"I wouldn't miss your Christmas pudding for the world," Lily leaned forward and clasped her mother first in a hug, then her father, and settled on softly rubbing Petunia's shoulder before she jerked it away.

"Let me take that for you Lils," Mr Evans reached forward and grabbed the handle of his daughters heavy trunk and began to pull it to the other end of the train to be loaded in the back. "I'll see you at Christmas my love!" He called behind him as he walked away.

"Bye Dad!" She shouted after him. "Bye Mum, bye 'Tunia" She said a touch softer as she boarded the train for her final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Her new beginning began sooner than she would imagine. The first face she saw when she got on the train was James Potter, the exact reason Lily drank four mugs of green tea that morning. Her whole summer had been spent thinking about him, but not in the way most girls thought about this dark haired troublemaker. James Potter had all but ruined her life, and she was not ready to let him do it again. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she ran through all the things she wanted to say to him. How he ruined any chance of her even thinking about dating him, and how just because she isn't friends with Severus anymore, that doesn't mean he has free reign to ruin his life again, and most importantly, just because Potter decided to be an enormous prat, she was not going to stop being friends with all of his friends to make things less awkward again. While Lily was busy processing all of the things she would be shouting at James, he noticed her standing at the entrance of the train and began fidgeting nervously with his maroon and gold tie. He rushed to the door and threw it open when she walked past.

"Evans, can we talk?" He asked desperately, his eyes wild with something- she couldn't tell what. She nodded and followed him inside. Her jaw was solid in place and her vocal chords set for a shouting match, but she wasn't prepared for what came.

"Evans, I am so sorry. You truly have no idea. I was such a git and I know I hurt you. I really don't know what came over me, I should've never started that fight because then Sniv- Snape called you that terrible name and-" He rambled on apology after apology but Lily stopped listening after the first few. She had gotten lost in Potter's eyes, had they always had those gorgeous flecks of gold in them? And they way he spoke to her just filled her up with so much warmth and giddiness. As he continued to speak without being heard, she became mesmerised by the way his mouth shaped the words and the way his bottom row of teeth was slightly crooked despite what she knew to be numerous charms to straighten them. His lips were slightly chapped, but still very full and- was she seriously thinking about kissing him? Lily mentally slapped herself. Her whole summer she had done nothing but think about her utter hate for this boy- this child- and as soon as she sees him again she turns into one of his adoring fans? Something was clearly wrong, perhaps hormones of some sort, and she made a mental note to make a visit to the hospital wing once the feast was over. As Lily was distracted once again by her own thoughts, those lips stopped moving and his golden-brown eyes grew questioning.

"Lily are you okay?" He asked. She shook her head slightly, and came back to her senses.

Lily cleared her throat and looked down at her feet. "It's okay Potter. Let's just not make this awkward for our other friends." He nodded and awkwardly rubbed his right shoulder. He caught a glance of something behind Lily and he stiffened, his eyes widening. There was a rap on the door and Lily slowly turned around to find the other exact person she wasn't hoping to meet so soon.

"What do you want, Severus?" Lily questioned stiffly, speaking through a crack in the door.

"I'd like to speak to you alone," he muttered loud enough for only her to hear. His eyes darted between the redhead and her dark haired companion nervously.

"Now isn't a good time, Sev," she said matter-of-factly. "In fact, if you would be so kind as to move, I have some friends I am going to meet down the hall." She turned around to not at James and then pushed haughtily past Snape, holding back the beginning of her tears. She harshly wiped them away, angry that as soon as her year truly began, she was already back in the same rut her last one ended in. James quickly followed suit. His long strides caught him up and he struggled with what to say while they walked alongside each other in the narrow hall.

"You don't have to stay with me," she said thickly.

"I know," James replied. "I just wanted to say- You don't have to cut him off like that. I know you two were best mates, you deserve some kind of closure." Lily nodded in agreement. "See you 'round, I guess." James quickened his pace and was gone in a matter of moments, leaving Lily to her thoughts.

'What is wrong with me?' Her mind kept repeating. Not only forgiving James but getting lost in his eyes? And he seemed so different. Kind, even considerate. This was absolutely not the James Potter she left behind in her sixth year. Not one to trust what she sees at first glance, Lily decided that she was taking this situation with extreme caution. And she was most definitely not falling for James Potter.

-

"Where's Sirius?" Remus Lupin felt as if he asked this question all too often. His mischievous friend was always missing and when he was found, it was in the most unappealing of situations. Nevertheless, Sirius was bound to be missing within the next few days.

"He was supposed to be here wasn't he?" Alice replied, taking a seat by the window of carriage 132. Her best friend took a seat next to her, his long legs stretching to the bench across from them and feet resting on the faded cushion.

"Who knows, Al, Sirius had never been our most stable friend," Remus mumbled, reaching into Alice's purse in search of sweets. He found a licorice wand and took a bite of it before even asking the owner.

"You know, one day I'm going to actually be mad at you for doing that," Alice huffed, crossing her arms in mock aggression.

"Oh shut up, you know you love me." The two laughed and Alice leaned her head on Remus' arm, not quite being tall enough to reach his shoulder. They enjoyed the silence, both exhausted from a morning of running around King's Cross in search of coffee, which Alice had insisted on. Their moment of peace was interrupted by shouting in the hallway, which sounded suspiciously like the boy they were looking for a short time earlier.

"Is that-?"

"Sirius," Remus leapt from his seat and pulled the sliding door open, running into the hallway before Alice could follow.

-

Growing up, Peter had always been the smallest. Now, as he approached the train on platform Nine and Three-Quarters, he felt larger than life. With a bag of gold in his left hand from his summer job, and a crumpled letter from his mom in his right, Peter Pettigrew felt that he could take on the world. Of course, it helped that he had sprouted up 6 inches over the summer.

"Last call for boarding!" shouted the conductor from his seat near the door. "What is it boy, on or off?" The man waved an arm as an indicator for Peter to board the train.

Soon after stepping off the platform, the sandy haired boy was tackled to the ground of the corridor. Galleons were scattered around the two as Kat and Peter embraced. After a few moments, the owner of the Galleons scrambled to pick them up in the event that a greedy student would snatch them first.

"Pete, I've missed you so much! How come you didn't write at all?" Kat wove her arm around Peter's waist in a permanent hug as they walked past the crowded train cars.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry Katie, I really do feel bad," Peter slung an arm around Kat's shoulders. "My mom placed me in a summer internship at the Prophet. Between that and stocking shelves at Ollivanders I barely had time to breathe. I've missed you all a ton! How've you been?"

"Well, that's a long story. I'll catch you up," the two continued their walk down the corridor, until a small explosion startled them, and they watched third years flood out of a smoke filled carriage. Peter shook his head and kept walking, pulling a reluctant Kat behind him.

"Peter I think we might want to stay back. Who knows what on Earth that smoke is," Kat shuddered at the prospect, recalling many pranks she'd pulled in the past.

"C'mon Katie," Peter chided. "This is rule number one of being a marauder. If something explodes-"

"Just keep walking," she finished. The two nearly collapsed into giggles, and Kat leant her head on Peter's arm for support. "Merlin you really have grown. What had your mum been feeding you?"

"I actually have a theory she's been slipping growth potions into my pumpkin juice every morning," Peter answered. "Mum always said-"

Peter's story was interrupted by Sirius shouting for Kat down the hallway.  
"What does he want now?" Kat grumbled. She waved a hand at him, squeezed Peter's arm a final time, and jogged away.

-

Sirius had never been a fan of confrontation, despite his parents' beliefs. He could shout for days, sure, but given the option between a massive row and a quiet settlement he would choose the settlement any time. Approaching Kat, however, he knew that this was not going to be a quiet settlement. He couldn't live with himself though, and he had been fighting an internal battle ever since he received his Hogwarts class letter in July. He watched Kat's smile broaden as Peter cracked a joke and her contagious laugh echoed through the train. Sirius felt a pang of despair as he prepared himself for what came next. He shouted his girlfriend's name and quickly Kat looked forward and noticed her boyfriend walking toward

her, and waved a hand high above her head. When they met, he leaned in for a kiss but she awkwardly turned away, obviously still bitter about their row earlier.

"Come to apologize?" Kat quipped.

"Yeah," Sirius replied begrudgingly. "And I have something to tell you." He grabbed her hand and pulled her into an empty train car, sliding the door shut behind them. Sirius felt Peter's eyes burning into the back of his head, and knew he wouldn't leave without knowing that both his friends were happy.

"Katie let's leave," he blurted out, fearing if he put it off longer than the words would never come out.

"Run- run away?" Kat was in disbelief. "Like, and go where? We still have a year left of school Sirius, and I want to be an auror. I want to fight in the war, we-"

"Shh, no listen Katie," Sirius placed a hand on her shoulder, but she brushed it off and took a step back from him. "I want to run away to fight in the war, to do something. My uncle left me some money for a flat, we can get a flat and start actually making a difference in this damn war. I'm done with being trapped. I've been trapped all my life."

"Sirius, I'm going to Hogwarts. Once we graduate, once we have actual training then we can-" Kat pleaded with Sirius, gently holding one of his large hands in between her two small ones.

"I'm not fucking waiting until McGonogall teaches us how to turn a cat into a coaster to save people's lives," Sirius set his jaw and pulled his hand away. "I'm leaving if you're coming with me or not."

Tears threatened to fill Kat's eyes.

"Sirius, I love you. Please don't leave me," An angry sob rested at the bottom of her throat.

"Do you think I don't love you? Katie you mean the world to me-" Sirius's tone softened a touch.

"If you love me then why are you leaving?" Kat shouted, hands shaking. "If I'm your world you shouldn't have to go anywhere else to be happy because I should be enough Sirius. Why do you feel the need to put your life at risk fighting in some stupid war? You have no experience, you'll die out there."

"Good," Sirius replied, louder than her. " Let me die."

"How dare you Sirius Black. You have so many people here who love you, and you're going to throw it all away just like that. How dare you. You never cared about any of us."

"Maybe I didn't then," Kat stepped back at his words, feeling a physical blow. There was a large pause, full of seething anger emanating off the pair. Sirius began to take it back, an apology forming in his mouth and filling his throat. Suddenly he couldn't breathe, his lungs wouldn't work, his heart sped up at the lack of oxygen. He couldn't speak, couldn't say the apology that might've prevented what came next.

"We're over Sirius. I've had enough," Kat sounded as if she was under water. He shook his head, finally taking a deep breath and coughing a few times to clear his throat. "You hear me? I don't care if you stay or go. Just leave me alone." Sirius nodded numbly, processing what had just happened so suddenly.

"Goodbye Katherine," Sirius didn't give Kat the luxury of eye contact as he shoved his way past her and then Peter outside the train car. He ignored Pete's shouts asking where he was going, and muttered some lame excuse to the train conductor in order to let him off. There weren't many parents left on the station, and none cared enough to wonder why a somber looking student walked off the train and didn't look back. No one bothered to look, and no one bothered to ask. And that's the way it would continue to be.

-

AN: So this is the rewrite of chapter 2! As I said in the last chapter, all the changes are thanks to my wonderful beta reader. I did change quite a lot in this chapter, so I hope anyone who read the story previously goes back and reads it! I will be uploading chapter 3 veerrryy soon, because it is done! So keep an eye out over the next few days or so, and then chapter 4 soon after because I'm getting my wisdom teeth out and will have plenty of time to write! Remember, a review a day keeps You-Know-Who away! Ciao! ~Sarah


	3. Chapter 3

September 1st 1977

The large group crammed into car 132, forcing Peter and Lily to curl up on the floor due to the limited seating. James was fuming, muttering curses under his breath. Alice looped her arm around his shoulders, partly to calm him down and partly to restrain him from punching a wall, an activity he was known for. And he wasn't the only angry one. Kat had been clenching her fists so tightly that her nails left crescent moons in her palm so deep they threatened to draw blood. Angry tears pricked at the corners of her eyes but she refused to cry. An awkward silence blanketed the cabin, no one quite knowing what to say that wouldn't set either of the two off into a tantrum. James and Kat were scary enough on their own, but combined they were guaranteed to be a terror. Finally, Marlene was brave enough to speak up.

"Kat, you have to tell us what happened. We can't help if-"

"I don't want help; and I've already _told_ you what happened," Kat hissed through clenched teeth. Her jaw was guaranteed to be sore later, and not from the activity the group was secretly expecting.

"All you said was that Sirius left, you didn't-" Lily started to argue but was quickly silenced by Peter's hand on her shoulder.

"Peter was there, he heard everything. Tell them Pete. Tell them why he left," Kat ranted, pointing an accusatory finger at Pete. All eyes turned to the mousy boy seated on the floor and he began to stutter, jumbled syllables pouring out of his mouth.

"I mean he- I didn't- He just-" Peter began waving his hands, a nervous habit that drove most of his friends crazy. Lily gently placed her hands on his and held them still. Pete took a deep breath, closed his eyes and continued. "Sirius said he was leaving because he wanted to fight. He wanted Kat to come with him but when she didn't go he got angry and started shouting and then he just left."

"Where did he go?" asked Alice curiously, although they all could assume the answer.

"Beats me," Pete replied. "But I watched him get off the train. Who knows where he took off too."

"Shit, I need a smoke," James stood up and pried himself from Alice's grasp. "Anyone want to join me?" Kat stood up as well and followed into the hall. As the door closed behind her, she heard Marlene mutter something incoherent, earning a few chuckles.

"Do you have any on you? Mine are in my trunk."

James nodded and held a box of cheap cigarettes out to Kat and she quickly took one, glancing around to be sure that no one saw their transaction. She followed James down the hall and into an empty cabin, where they cracked the window to let the smoke out, lest they arouse suspicion. Kat pulled a Zippo lighter out of her pocket and lit the tip, but realized her mistake when James let out a hearty laugh.

"Aren't you a witch? On your way to a school of Witchcraft?" He plucked the lighter from her hand, examining it with curiosity. "This is fascinating, how do Muggles come up with this?"

"Oh shove off," Kat punched James in the arm and took back her lighter. "It requires a lot less thought than conjuring up a flame does." She then lit James's outheld cigarette, took a long draw of hers, and blew the smoke out the open window.

The trees flew by impossibly fast, turning into a blur of dark green with patches of blue in between. In a few seconds they were past the forest and were treated to a view of the sun setting over an expansive lake. Compared to her home in Arizona, Northern England was a sight for sore eyes. Even though she would miss the sunshine, Kat had a love for the green that was everywhere here. A much more welcome environment than sandy dunes and rocky cliffs.

"We should be there soon," James commented, interrupting her thoughts. "I have a feeling this year is gonna be our year."

"Well it sure started out pretty shitty," Kat replied, exhaling another large cloud of smoke. "Maybe things will look up tonight. We're still having a party right? Down by the lake?"

"Why wouldn't we? It's a tradition," James paused. "With or without Pads." Kat leaned her head against the window and went back to watching the sunset.

"I'm sorry for letting him leave," she commented after a period of silence. "I should have said something to make him stay."

"Oh shut up," James scolded. "We both know that once that kid gets something in his head there isn't anything anyone can do to stop him."

Kat knew he was right, but she still couldn't get the image of him leaving out of her head.

-

A few minutes after James and Kat left, the groups chatter was interrupted by a rap on the door. An attractive teenager dressed in a prim Ravenclaw uniform opened it and poked his head in.

"Has anyone seen Clearwater? He owes me 5 Galleons and he's not getting out of it this time," Noah McKinnon's shit-eating grin widened when he saw Marlene. "Oh hey Monroe, how was your summer?"

"Pretty good, I guess," she smiled back. "Clearwater didn't come down here, sorry."

"No problem. See you around." He took off down the hallway, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Oh you're on Monroe terms now, are you?" Alice wiggled her thin eyebrows.

"Oh shove off," Marlene replied.

"Bite me," Alice jokingly growled back.

"Merlin, the train is cold this year," Marlene said, curling her jacket tighter around her in a patheic attempt to change the subject. Peter rolled his eyes and a few others laughed. "What? I'm freezing!"

"Mars, you're always cold," Peter retorted.

"Maybe you should go fetch Noah McKinnon. He'll keep you warm," Lily threw an exaggerated wink in Marlene's direction.

"Ooooh, McKinnon!" Alice and Peter chorused.

"Isn't he a Ravenclaw? You wouldn't betray your house would you Mar?" Remus mockingly questioned her. Marlene, ever the level head, wasn't phased.

"Listen, all I ever said was that he was quite fit, I never said anything else," She glanced down and noticed Lily's purse sitting on the ground. In an effort to distract the conversation from herself, she grabbed the bag, and reached inside.

"Mar don't!" Lily laughed. She made a sad attempt to grab her belongings back, but Marlene had already fished a small black notebook out of her bag and was paging through it. Inside she found numerous portraits, some of strangers or maybe family members, but most of the pages were filled with impressive drawings of their small group of friends.

"Lily! You never said you could draw!" Everyone crowded in around Marlene to get a closer look.

"These are terrible, you guys, I really don't want-" The redhead protested, her face growing pink. At that statement the entire group erupted in protest. Amid the chaos, James and Kat returned, and in remarkably better spirits. Marlene beckoned them to come closer and admire Lily's work

"Lils what are you saying? This is amazing! Did you really draw these from memory?" Alice plucked the book from Marlene. "Look Rem, it looks just like you! She even got your hair right!" Remus turned the same shade as Lily, grabbing the sketchbook away from Alice. He turned a few more pages before letting out a bark like laugh that was quickly stifled by his hand.

"Sorry Lils, it's just that-" He started laughing again and turned the book around, revealing an impressively drawn sketch of James in women's clothing. "This really compliments your figure Prongs!" James rolled his eyes, taking his seat back next to Alice.

"I don't need a corset to be beautiful Moony," James retorted. "I was born this way." The room erupted in a mixture of laughs and protests again. Remus leaned over and smacked James on the arm before handing Lily her sketchbook back, who placed it back in her bag gratefully.

"So, who's up for a game of Exploding Snap?" Peter asked, pulling a deck from his back pocket. James nodded eagerly, and the rest settled in to watch. With the mood almost back to normal, Marlene felt that maybe- just _maybe-_ there was a chance the year would go back to normal. Eventually.

-

"I say we place a charmed line, and if any Slytherin crosses it, they're turned into a troll," James slurred through his mouthful of mashed potatoes. The group was seated in the Great Hall, enjoying the plentiful food that had been prepared for them and discussing plans for their party later that night. "That way none of them can sneak in."

"Yeah, they'll be too busy murdering us all," Marlene rolled her eyes and took another large spoonful of sweet potatoes, placing it on her plate. Kat snorted in response.

"That's attractive babe," Lily commented, earning a slap to her left arm across the table.

"What if we just dye their hair red and gold instead?" Kat suggested, indicating the flag emblazoned with the Gryffindor colors and emblem hanging above them with a nod of her head.

"I guess I can settle," James pouted. "Trolls would've been so much more interesting."

"Yeah, and deadly," Kat rolled her eyes and shoved the boy seated next to her, causing him to tip backward off the stool. James grabbed Kat's arm, pulling her down next to him onto the stone floor.

"If I'm going down, you're going down with me," He laughed, sparkles filling his hazel eyes. Kat groaned, stood up, and offered James a hand.

"You're going to be the death of me, I swear," she sighed.

"Don't I know it," he replied, returning to his seat next to her. James couldn't help but notice the awkward glances paid toward him and Kat. He glanced over to Kat, who also seemed to notice their newfound attention. Shrugging it off, he spooned some chicken onto his plate and dug in. Several others cleared their throats and followed suit. "So, back to the matter at hand. Slytherin trolls."

"James, we've been over this," Marlene rolled her eyes. "Besides who would know how to do that magic anyway?" Almost simultaneously, the group turned their heads to look pointedly at Remus who was mid-sip of his pumpkin juice. His eyes widened and he coughed, spitting a large amount of his drink across the table at Peter. Peter suddenly stood up, wiping the sticky liquid from his face and murmured a quick excuse to leave before hurrying out of the Great Hall.

"Sorry Pete," Remus shouted after him. "Is there alcohol in here?" Remus held his drink up, asking the question mostly to James.

"Guilty as charged," James pulled a flask from the inside pocket of his robes. "Just trying to get the party started a little early." He then tipped a small amount into everyone's cup, hitting himself twice and then Kat a second time after she elbowed him in the ribs.

"To our last year at Hogwarts," Marlene said, holding her goblet up high in the middle of the table.

"To our last year at Hogwarts," everyone chorused, not quite in unison. Heavy glances were cast to the empty seat between James and Peter's previous spot, but it wasn't acknowledged. Not yet.

Lily threw open the window, letting the clear scent of evergreen wash over her. Although other common rooms may be easier to access, or closer to the kitchens, there was no arguing that the best view was found from Gryffindor tower. A lush forest blanketed a large corner of the grounds, fanning onto the majestic mountains surrounding the valley where Hogwarts was nestled. If she craned her head far enough to the left, she could see the Whomping Willow gently swaying. A bit to the right and over a large hill, she could see the tallest peaks in Hogsmeade and the Shrieking Shack sat high on a hill a bit further back. Her view was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder and Kat suddenly appearing in front of her to climb out said window. Lily sighed.

"Kat, aren't you ever afraid that you're going to fall?" Kat laughed loudly.

"You're funny Lils," the rambunctious Gryffindor stood on the windowsill, reaching to grab the gutter above her. "I don't fall." And with that, she hoisted herself onto the steeply pointed roof of the tower.

"You just scare me sometimes," Lily shouted up to her. "I don't want you hurt."

"Then by all means Lily-flower, join me," Kat poked her head over the edge, tightly curled hair bouncing into her eyes that were full to the brim with her rebel spirit. Lily rolled her eyes but nevertheless grabbed onto her outstretched hand and joined her on the roof.

"Got any smokes?" Kat asked innocently.

"I know you have smokes on you Kat. Besides, _I_ don't smoke."

"Oh that's right. Lily Evans, innocent soul who won't light up with a friend but _will_ spy on Tony Clearwater while he's in the prefect's bathroom in fifth year." Lily gasped and sputtered at this statement.

"Katherine, you dared me to do that, and you never paid me 4 Galleons for it,"

"Well consider this your payment then," Kat held out a cigarette to Lily and, defeatedly, she took it. Kat smirked, taking a long draw from hers.

"Can I be honest with you about something?" Kat asked after a pause. Lily mumbled an affirmative. "Part of me wishes I had gone with him." Her throat constricted, barely letting Kat finish her sentence.

"Well yeah," Lily replied. "You love him. There's no doubt that you would want to be with him right now. Don't beat yourself up Katie." With a gentle touch, she stroked Kat's bare shoulder, feeling the goosebumps covering her dark skin.

"He probably hates me now." Hot tears began to stream down her face. Kat wasn't one to cry, and Lily was shocked at the sudden display of emotion.

"Love, he doesn't hate you," Lily brushed a tear from her friend's cheek. "He's scared is all. That poor kid has had a damn rough time of it lately and he probably just needs some time alone. He'll come back eventually, I promise." With a deep sigh, Kat turned to Lily with a grim smile on her face.

"Thank you, Lils," The two embraced for a long time, enjoying the warmth emanating from each other, heating up their chilled bones from the damp September night.

"Jem wants to get things set up down by the forest, how bloody long does it take you lot to smoke a fag?" Marlene shouted from below them. Lily and Kat started laughing, and snuffed out their cigarettes on the roof before sliding down and carefully making their way back inside.

"Sorry Mars, didn't mean to keep you waiting," Lily laced her arms in both Kat's and Marlene's, leading her group down the stairs and into the common room. Alice was seated on the plush red couch, gazing into the crackling fireplace. She turned around when she heard the three approaching, grinning widely.

"Finally ready?" She jumped over the back of the couch and looped her arm into Marlene's, adding herself onto their train. "Let's get this party started!"

AN: Here is chapter 3! For anyone here since the beginning, thanks for waiting! It's been a long process but I'm finally on track with chapters. As always, big thanks to my beta reader Anca for sticking through my terrible writing and helping me bring it up to par :) A review a day keeps You-Know-Who away! Ciao, ~Sarah 


End file.
